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A summer favourite of Riverford Cook Anna. Serve this salad at room temperature to enjoy the flavours at their best. Grilling the aubergines on a barbecue would be even better, heightening their smoky flavour.

Method

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan, tossing them frequently, until golden. Make a dressing by whisking the crushed garlic with the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

How much oil you need will depend on the strength of your balsamic vinegar, and personal taste. Go easy on the salt as the feta and olives will all be a little salty anyway. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan until very hot.

Brush or rub the aubergines with some of the dressing (just enough to coat on both sides) and grill them in batches until they are soft to their centres and have nice grill marks, about 3–4 minutes on each side.

Assemble the salad by layering the aubergine with the pine nuts, feta and olives and drizzling the remaining dressing over as you go. Finish by tearing or finely slicing the basil and mint leaves and scattering them over the top.

Cooks notes

Variation - You could also make this recipe with grilled courgette strips.